Crawley Down Gatwick’s interest in RUR Cup is over after defeat by Hassocks

Donal Barrett

Crawley Down Gatwick’s interest in the RUR Charity Cup is over for another year following a 2-1 defeat to Hassocks on Saturday.

The home side started brightly and definitely seemed more up for the contest.

Prolific striker Phil Johnson has rejoined from Horsham YMCA and he was a constant menace up front.

Barely five minutes had elapsed when he opened the scoring although it must be said that he looked decidedly offside.

The Anvils kept going and gradually got a foothold in the game. They lost Ciaran Steers to injury after half an hour.

Substitute Harry Petty was back after a season-long injury.

A goal was disallowed in the first half for offside in what seemed like a perfectly good equaliser from Sam Cane.

Marc Pelling appeared to head the ball back to the onrushing Cane but even if the header was forward as claimed by the officials the striker had to burst past at least two defenders to put the ball past the ‘keeper.

There seemed to be simply no way that he could have been offside.

Sam Cane had two good chances after the break but the normally reliable target man put both over the bar when well placed.

Pelling, who was superb throughout, was also agonisingly close with a header from close in, that skimmed the post. The longer the game went on without a Crawley Down equaliser, the more it looked as if it was not going to be their day.

There was a sense of inevitability when substitute Liam Benson put the home side 2-0 up in the 80th minute.

The Anvils pressed and eventually got some reward when Sam Cane pulled one back after 94 minutes.